Darth Arctis
'Darth Arctis '''is one of the highest-ranking officials in the Sith Empire. Having led an impressive career over the span of several decades, he is considered a model figure for the Empire's methodical brutality. Arctis is widely respected by both his peers and subordinates, and commands fear among his enemies. He currently serves as the Emperor's Hand, having attained the position after Darth Vowrawn took the Imperial throne. Biography Early Life Childhood Born as Abraxas, he was the first child of Vessler, a distinguished Sith Lord and heir to the Kressh bloodline. He had one sibling, a brother, who was ten years his junior. His father had lived his life driven by his ambitions; as such, he made many enemies during his rise to power. However, he kept himself several steps ahead of his rivals by earning favor with the reigning Dark Council of the time. At some point, Vessler was granted dominion over Dromund Fels, the fourth planet of the Dromund system, where Arctis spent the bulk of his early years. Even as a child, he frequently sat in on lessons in the Force held by his father’s entourage of Inquisitors. It was through their teachings that he became fascinated with sorcery, and the prospect of seeking out forgotten knowledge of the ancient Sith. Vessler's Demise Vessler eventually came into conflict with Darth Ikoral, one of the most decorated lords of that era. Despite his considerable resources and standing, the authority and power Ikoral wielded dwarfed that of Vessler’s power base. When the two Sith ultimately resolved to end their contention in a duel to the death, Vessler was struck down before the eyes of his young son. Despite his distaste for Vessler, Ikoral believed the legacy of Kressh was to continue — as he strongly valued Sith heritage. His fervor in the superiority of blood purity prompted Ikoral to take his deceased rival’s son as his own. Years later, Arctis admitted to feeling no remorse over the death of his father, claiming they were never close. He also revealed that Vessler attained his position only through political connections, rather than merit. Apprentice to Darth Ikoral It was through Ikoral that Arctis received his Sith moniker, making him one of the few in the Kressh family who abandoned their birth names, and was trained in the ways of the dark side. Although his instruction in the Sith arts had begun early, Arctis was one of many apprentices Ikoral had taken under his tutelage. Consequently, he was forced to contend with almost constant challenges from his peers, but the majority of his competition stemmed one other apprentice in particular. Vindican, despite being considered their master’s greatest pupil, despised Arctis — knowing it was he who commanded true respect and favor from Ikoral. Envious of his peer's status, Vindican spent years attempting to outperform Arctis, while simultaneously attempting to sabotage his efforts to discredit him in Ikoral's eyes. He was thwarted at every turn, however; Arctis later admitted that he did truly see Vindican as beneath him, but he did not strike out at him because he found amusement in watching his rival exhaust every avenue to undermine him, only to fail repeatedly. Once Arctis completed his training under Ikoral, he ascended to lordship. Vindican subsequently abandoned any hope of ruining him. Although they parted on bitter terms, the two would never cross paths again. Rise to Prominence Ikoral's Departure Decades before the Empire would reveal itself to the rest of the galaxy, Ikoral had managed to secure the Dark Council's blessing to conduct an expedition outside the Imperial borders in search of other Pureblood Sith; he believed others had survived the Republic's reprisals after the Old Empire's defeat in the Great Hyperspace War. Arctis himself was skeptical of his old master's theory, and thus opted not to take part in the expedition. With Ikoral now out of the limelight, he saw opportunity to secure his own place in the Imperial hierarchy. Great War By the time the Sith made their return and war with the Republic began, Arctis was well-established in the Imperial hierarchy and had earned the mantle of Darth. He had been assigned to the Sphere of Military Offense and quickly became a trusted subordinate of Darth Vengean. He also met and befriended the Dark Councilor's former apprentice, Lord Baras. He rose through the ranks rather quickly, and before long began serving as the intermediary between Vengean and his power base, directly supervising the majority of the Dark Councilor's subordinates. He had been given the Harrower battle cruiser [[Dread Tyrant|''Dread Tyrant]] as his flagship, and granted command over the Nemesis Brigade, a unit of the Imperial Army whose members he and Baras hand-picked. Reclamation of Korriban Arctis led the mission to reclaim Korriban from his flagship, the Dread Tyrant. Despite their old rivalry, he paid his respects to Vindican, who was killed during a confrontation with Jedi Knights aboard the Republic's orbital station. Having followed his old rival's exploits closely, he was familiar with Vindican's apprentice, Malgus, and correctly surmised that the young man had struck down his master. Arctis also identified the Jedi that Malgus had slain as Master Kao Cen Darach, and commended the apprentice for his victory over a veteran of the Jedi Order. He later shuttled down to Korriban to oversee the final operations to secure the planet, and led the Nemesis Brigade on a march to the forgotten ruins of the Sith Academy. Second Battle of Bothawui Weeks after that first defeat over Bothawui, a second contingent of the Imperial Armada, under the command of Grand Moff Zellos, attempted to bombard the planet. Bothawui's planetary shields proved too strong for their weapons to penetrate, however, forcing Zellos to resort to a land-based campaign to disable them. With a ground force of over fifty thousand troops, the Grand Moff predicted they would be able to swiftly overwhelm the Republic forces defending the shield generator. Arctis had previously petitioned the Dark Council to allow him to personally lead the offensive but was refused by his superiors. The Grand Moff's choice to mount a direct assault was unwise, however. The Jedi Master who coordinated the defenses, Belth Allusis, made use of unorthodox strategies, such as guerrilla tactics, that enabled them to hold back the Imperial troops for quite some time. Despite continued failures, Zellos continued to throw his men until battle until his forces were depleted to the point that reinforcements were required. Arctis had used his position in Vengean's power structure to keep himself apprised of the Grand Moff's progress on Bothawui, and once again petitioned the Council for their blessing to assume control from Zellos, promising to succeed where he failed. Although they initially denied him, Arctis continually implored them to reconsider and ultimately managed to earn Vengean's permission to "inspect" the situation on Bothawui, but on the grounds that he return immediately afterward. Once the supplemental forces arrived on Bothawui, Zellos was taken aback to find Arctis awaiting him and his advisors in their command post. He proceeded to severely berate the Grand Moff before "disciplining" him with a burst of lightning, utterly humiliating Zellos before the eyes of his top officers. He then laid out an alternative strategy to devastate the Republic defenders' morale by terminating Jedi Master Allusis himself. He explained that the Republic defenders were carried only by Allusis' tactical superiority over Zellos' own strategies, then asserted that the elimination of Allusis himself would leave them with a band of broken and demoralized grunts whom the Imperial forces could easily defeat. As he was recalled to Dromund Kaas, he left Zellos with his own protection detail, a squad of former Cipher operatives "gifted" to him by Imperial Intelligence, assuring the Grand Moff that their aid would be enough to see his plans put into action. Zellos foolishly remained confident in his own strategies, however, and once again mounted a heavy frontal assault, utterly ignoring Arctis' orders. The Republic's defensive line was eventually scattered, but the remaining defenders rallied to Master Allusis himself and his entourage of Jedi Knights. The last of the defenders stood their ground, and managed to inflict massive casualties on the Imperial forces before they were finally killed. Their losses were severe enough that the surviving Imperials were forced to withdraw from Bothawui altogether, leaving the battle a draw, as well as a second defeat even more humiliating for the Empire than the first. In the aftermath, Arctis contacted Zellos, infuriated over the his defiance, and nearly killed the Grand Moff over hologram but ultimately resolved to spare his life, knowing Zellos would suffer far greater at the hands of the Dark Council. He was correct, as once Zellos returned to Imperial space he was never seen again. Battle of Hoth To be added In Defense of Ziost To be added Sacking of Coruscant On Darth Vengean's insistence, Arctis was to oversee the Empire's final offensive in the war alongside Darth Angral. Accepting of the inevitable truth that success on Coruscant required their cooperation, Arctis stated his willingness to put aside their past differences when the two were brought before the fully assembled Dark Council. Angral, however, was unwilling to do so, and arrogantly claimed he was more than capable of leading the assault himself. The objection prompted Arctis to pull rank, reminding his rival that the decision was above his station. The Council backed Arctis, forcing Angral to acquiesce. Cold War With a fragile peace with the Republic in place, Arctis turned much of his attention to expanding his own power base. Conspiring with Vengean and Baras The treaty stunned much of the galaxy, but it left Vengean particularly infuriated, who believed it an utter disgrace. He and Baras began plotting to destabilize the tense peace between Empire and Republic; Vengean called on Arctis to join them in their deliberations, as he was the only ally who had earned a degree of trust from them both. Baras ultimately devised an initiative, under the code name "Plan Zero," that would eliminate the Republic's foremost military figures; once completed, it would force the Republic back into open war with a practically leaderless military, guaranteeing swift victory for the Empire. The operation called for a number of sleeper agents to be placed inside the Republic, and Arctis contributed to Plan Zero by evaluating potential candidates; once done, he presented a list of those best-suited to serve their needs. The Expedition To be added To Revolutionize Warfare To be added Sith Academy on Korriban After the success in developing Plan Zero, Arctis was given a supervisory position in the staff of the Sith Academy on Korriban; his appointment was arranged by Vengean, presumably as a sign of favor. Despite the appointment, he remained in command of the Special Projects Division. Lord Tyranos, an old apprentice who had become one of his retainers, served as his deputy and acted in his stead when the division's affairs demanded Arctis' direct involvement. He held a strong degree of contempt for those of the academy instructors who refused to acknowledge the ways of the Sith would inevitably evolve over time. During his tenure, Arctis executed over a dozen overseers, giving him a reputation for zero tolerance for incompetence in his subordinates. In an uncommon practice, he oftentimes stepped in to personally administer trials to the classes of acolytes whose overseers he had killed. In this way, his talent for instruction became well-known throughout the Academy, leading to many Sith Lords in search of apprentices requesting that Arctis himself train prospective acolytes for them. Plan Zero Enacted To be added Darth Vengean's Demise To be added Galactic War A New Ally To be added Rise of the Eternal Empire Despite being on Dromund Kaas when the Eternal Empire of Zakuul launched its devastating conquest that subjugated the Core Worlds to Arcann's rule, Arctis survived the Eternal Fleet's onslaught on the Imperial capital. He was among the very few veteran Sith Lords to survive both Zakuul's initial attack as well as the ensuing fallout. Unfortunately, he did lose his flagship; the Dread Tyrant was destroyed over Korriban by the Eternal Fleet. He later replaced it with the Dauntless. Despite briefly considering to fill the void in the Empire, Arctis instead resolved to back Darth Acina's bid to become the new Imperial sovereign. As a show of gratitude for his support, Acina brought Arctis into her command circle ― he would function as her personal advisor on all military matters. He supervised much of the initiatives to restore the strength of the Imperial Military, and later masterminded the efforts taken to rapidly reconstruct the Empire's naval might after Arcann was deposed as Emperor of Zakuul. Disaster on Iokath Weary of the Eternal Alliance's growing power, and the threat that power posed to the Empire, Arctis advised Acina to stray from personally directing Imperial activities on the resource world of Iokath. He warned her that another power vacuum could be the Empire's undoing, and that placing herself in such imminent danger was unwise. When his counsel fell on deaf ears and Acina departed Dromund Kaas, he confided in his colleague Darth Vowrawn that he had foresaw catastrophe on Iokath. His instincts were proven correct when Acina failed to partner the Empire with the Alliance. She was ultimately slain while struggling against joint Alliance and Republic forces. Arctis quietly chastised the fallen empress for her ignorance when he received the report of Acina's death. Darth Vowrawn's Ascension Much of the Imperial public was surprised when Arctis stated he did not intend to succeed Acina, but instead endorsed Vowrawn's claim to power. It now marked the second occasion on which he had refused the prospect of naming himself Emperor of the Sith, but he later explained that doing so would have forced him into an endless state of contention with his rivals and thus only hindered his ability to serve the Empire. Nonetheless, he went on to wield even greater power in the new regime, as Vowrawn chose him to serve as the new Hand of the Emperor. The appointment placed him outside the jurisdiction of the Dark Council. Among his heightened power was command over the rebuilt Fourth Fleet of the Imperial Armada. Personality and traits Ambitious, conniving, and completely ruthless ― Arctis is a cruel master of deception who will stop at nothing to see his desires, as well as those of the Empire, accomplished. From his point of view, the ends always justify the means; as such, there are very few, if any, lines he will not cross to complete an objective. Although his true self is oftentimes masked by his intelligent and sophisticated mannerisms, Arctis is a monstrous and horrifying individual whose dark nature unsettles even some of his fellow Sith. He is a sadistic manipulator who identifies weakness in others and exploits it, typically finding amusement as his victims lament over their failures. Unlike many of his peers, Arctis does not possess the xenophobia that is all too common among the upper echelons of Imperial society. He instead believes one's worth is measured by how well they prove their mettle, rather than their origins. Despite that stance, he does uphold some traditions. He is a firm believer in the Sith Code and a staunch proponent of the Imperial doctrine, believing the galaxy will only achieve true prosperity under the Empire's rule. Arctis is cold and callous, almost completely devoid of emotion. As a result, he is unable to comprehend the concepts of love and compassion. Although he does not deny a Sith's expression of their passions as a source of strength, he nonetheless dismisses attachment to others as a weakness. Arctis has long advocated for unity among the Sith. Having observed his fellow Sith awash in their own blood for decade, he is convinced that a nation divided among itself cannot not stand. He has little patience left for power plays among his peers, and will not hesitate to remind them that only a unified Sith Order can lead the Empire to victory. Powers, abilities, and equipment Gifted with a raw sensitivity to the Force, Arctis is a master of the dark side. Having immersed himself in its arcane secrets, he is an unmatched practitioner of sorcery. He is adept in a variety of abilities, ranging from those as simple as Force lightning or Force choke to more complex techniques such as Force maelstrom and death field. He is also familiar with the rituals of essence transfer and thought bomb, but believes both are far too costly to perform. In combat situations, he makes extensive use of telekinesis and Force lightning. Through a twisted amalgamation of advanced technology and his vast knowledge of Sith alchemy, he has managed to survive past his species' typical lifespan while also maintaining the appearance and vitality of a much younger individual. His capability to conceal his depravity from Jedi and Sith alike also suggests he can call upon powers of the light side of the Force. Arctis carries a single-bladed lightsaber, powered by a rare white adegan crystal, and makes use of Form II, also known as Makashi. One of his apprentices described his swordsmanship style as elegant and precise. Due to the vast array of Force powers at his disposal, Arctis rarely engages in lightsaber combat. In spite of that, his lightsaber stays constantly hitched to his utility belt. Keeping to the traditional attire of an accomplished Sith, Arctis is usually dressed in dark robes or battle armor. During the Great War, he frequently wore ornate vestments that featured an almost tribal design. He also possesses a vast collection of Sith masks, both ancient and modern. Category:Characters Category:Sith Lords